NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State swept Missouri State in the doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Duffy Bass Field in Normal. The Redbirds defeated the Bears 7-5 and 5-3. The two victories earned the 'Birds the series sweep over the Bears. Illinois State has won four games in a row, and eight of their last nine games.
Redbird Performers Game 1
Top Hitters:
Pitching Breakdown:
Scoring Breakdown:
- Missouri State struck first in the top half of the first inning on a two-run double to right-center field. Later, the Bears hit a sacrifice fly to right field that brought home another run to make the score 3-0 in favor of the Bears.
- The Bears put a couple more runs across in the top of the third after a solo home run over the right field wall, and a sacrifice fly to center field increased their lead to 5-0.
- Illinois State scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Joe Aeilts hit a two-run home run to right field that scored Jordan Libman. Tyson Hays doubled down the left-field line that scored Joe Butler. Later in the inning, Jack Butler drove a run across the plate after grounding out that scored Gunner Peterson. Missouri State led Illinois State 5-4 after six innings.
- The Redbirds tied and took the lead in the home half of the seventh inning. Peterson drew a walk with bases loaded that scored John Rave. Hays would drive home the game-winning runs on a single that snuck into left field scored Joe Butler and Parola. The Redbirds led 7-5 after the inning. The Redbirds would hang onto the lead, as they defeated Missouri State in game one.
Redbird Performers Game 2
Top Hitters:
Pitching Breakdown:
- Matt Walker (Starter, W, 2-5): 7.0 IP, 2 Hits, 1 Runs, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K's
- Jack Anderson: 0.2 IP, 1 Hit, 1 Run, 1 ER, 1 K
- Jacob Gilmore (Save, 6): 1.1 IP, 2 Hits, 1 Run, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Scoring Breakdown:
- Illinois State got on the board first in the second game of the doubleheader when Parola singled through the left side to drive home Rave. Illinois State led 1-0 after the third inning.
- Polak homered for Missouri State in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game.
- Rave showed patience at the plate in the bottom of the fourth, as he walked with the bases loaded to score Peterson. ISU led MSU 2-1.
- Aeilts extended the Illinois State lead with a solo home run to left. Aeilts and the Redbirds led 3-1 after the fifth.
- Privitera homered for the Bears in the top of the eighth inning to cut the lead in half.
- In the home half of the inning, Parola tripled to right field to drive home Aidan Huggins and Jack Butler. Illinois State led 5-2.
- Missouri State drove one run home on a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning to make the score 5-3. Gilmore would leave the tying Bear at first base in the inning, as groundout finished the game in the ninth. Illinois would sweep the doubleheader as well as the series.
Quote from Coach Holm on the series
"Anytime you sweep a team you got to have some things go your way which is obviously very difficult, and then you add the doubleheader on top of it, it makes it even harder. Our guys kind of had a little bit of everything. We had points where we had leads, we had a five-run deficit, and it just shows that they had a lot of mental toughness to be able to fight through everything that happens in a weekend, and still be able to come out victorious three times."
Up Next:
Illinois State will play two mid-week matchups next week. First, the Redbirds are on the road Tuesday at UIC with the first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. Then, the 'Birds will host the Sacramento State Hornets at Duffy Bass Field on Wednesday. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m. For updates on Illinois State Baseball, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (@isuredbirdbaseball).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
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